Council Press Release, 20-21 February 2012

ADDITIVES / CONTAMINANTS - Food colours and Control of dioxins and other contaminants in foodstuffs: Council considers Commission’s draft regulations

The following is an extract from the minutes of the Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space) Council Meeting

The Council decided not to oppose the adoption by the Commission of two draft regulations:

• amending annex II to regulation 1333/2008 as regards the conditions of use and the use levels for the food colours Quinoline Yellow (E 104), Sunset Yellow FSF/Orange Yellow S (E 110) and Ponceau 4R, Cochineal Red A (E 124) (16705/2/11 REV 2); and
• laying down methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of levels of dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs and non-dioxin-like PCBs in certain foodstuffs (18587/11).

These draft regulations are subject to the regulatory procedure with scrutiny. This means that now that the Council has given its consent, the Commission may adopt them, unless the European Parliament objects.